Apple feeding and paring machine



April 30, 1929. V w, GATES 1,711,051

Q APPLE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 George W. Gafes April 30, 1929. G. w." GATES APPLE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1925 April 30, 1929. GATES 1,711,051

' APPLE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Geor zt W- Gafea telnet April 30, 1929. G. w. GATES APP LE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 1925 April 30, 1929. 5, w, GATEs 1,711,051

APPLE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE Filed Sept.5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gmmnrot George W. Gafes fame Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. GATES, F MACEDON, NEW YORK.

APPLE FEEDING AND PARING MACHINE.

Application filed September The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved type of apple feeding apparatus in combination with an apple paring machine. 7

Another object of this invention is to mount the apple paring machine with relation to the apple feeding apparatus so that the highest etliciency in their cooperation is secured.

These and other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

la the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the combined feeding and paring machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the feeding and paring machine.

Figure 3 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 4.-

a detailed top plan view of a portion of the feeding apparatus.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of the feeding apparatus and part of the paring machine.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional viewof two of the funnels used for feeding the apples showing the hose connections between them.

Figure 7 is a rear elevation of the paring machine showing the mechanism for forcing the apples onto the paring forl-Is.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the funnels used in the feeding apparatus.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the modified as form of the funnel.

lo the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

There are at the present time several types of feeding apparatus which are designed to to feed apples to an apple paring machine either automatically or semi,-automatically. These n'iachincs either employ the floating process in which the apples are floated in a tank to place them in the proper position in which they are fed to the machine or they use a mechanical. means which is designed to place the apple in a position in which it is to be fed to the apple parer. Both of these types of ma? chines are unreliable in their operation in to that they do not perform their function in an clllcient manner.

The combined feeding apparatus and apple pa machine forming the subject matter of my present invention employs a combination of the floating process with mechanical 5, 1925. Serial No. 54,784.

means making it possible to use the desirable features of these two feeding means while eliminating the undesirable features thereof. Also the apple paring machine used in connection with the feeding apparatus is mountcd in a position in which its operation is highly eflicient and cooperates with the feeding apparatus so that the apples are fed and pared at a high rate of speed. i

As illustrated in the drawings, the com bined apple parer and feeding apparatus is mounted on a suitable frame 1 comprising upri 'hts and cross beams on which the bear' ings and brackets supporting the mechanism of the machine are located. The power or drive shaft 2 of the machine is located on top of the frame 1 cent-rally thereof and is mounted to rotate in the bearings 3 and 4. To one end of the drive shaft is keyed the pulley 5 which is driven from the motor 6 by means of the belt 7. The opposite end of the drive shaft 2 has keyed thcreto the bevel pin ion 8 which meshes with the bevel pinion 9 carried onthe upper end of the vertical shaft 10. This shaft is the power or drive shaft of the apple paring machine, which is fully described in my prior Patent No. 965,513 issued July 26, 1910, in which the corresponding shaft is indicated by reference numeral 14. In the patent referred to, the apple paring machine is shown mounted in a horizontal position in which position this type of machine as well as other types of paring machines have heretofore been operated.

In combining the apple paring machine with the feeding apparatus, I have found it to be very advantageous especially for the cooperation of the paring machine with the feeding apparatus to mountthe apple paring machine in the vertical position illustrated in the various figures of the drawings. This not only simplifies the mechanism necessary for the cooperation between the feeing apparatus and the apple paring machine, but it also reduces the space required for each ma-' chine so that a battery of such machines can be mounted side by side in a smaller space than has heretofore been possible. The

frame 11 of the apple paring machine is bolt-- ed to the frame 1 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 7 near the front of the machine. The shaft 12 of the apple paring machine which carries at its lower end the turret 13 in which the forks 14, 14 are mounted to rotate. is driven from the driving shaft 10 by a train of gearing and a stop motion comprising the cams 16 and 1?. Cam 1? is keyed to the shaft 12 and is driven intermittently by the cam 16. The cam 16 is provided with the crank pin 18 on which is pivoted the dog 19. As the cam 16 rotates on the operation of the apple paringmachine, the outer end of the dog 19 engages the notches 20, 20 provided in the indexing disc 21. For each revolution ot the cam 16, the dog 19 engages one of the notches 20 in the disc 21 and advances it an eighth of a revolution eight notches being provided in the periphery of the disc 21.

'lhe disc 21 is carried near the upper end of the vertical hollow shaft 22 which is mounted in suitable hearings in the frame 1 and carries near the lower end thereof the turn table 22. On this turntable are mounted a series ct eight brackets 24; in which the tunnels are supported. The brackets 2d are provided with the outwardly projecting arms E26 and 27 one at the top and the other at the bottom thereof. he elongated tube 28 extending from the lower end of the tunnel passes through suitable holes provided in the arms 26 and 27. This allows the tube 29 to slide vertically in the arms 26 and 27' to raise and lower the funnel as will hereinafter he described.

Fastened to the tube 28 is the lug 29, which hip; is located on the tube between the arms 26 and 27 of the bracket 24 and moves up and down between them during its vertical travel on. the bracket 2%. The lower end of each of the tubes 28 is provided with a Y connection 30 to which are attached the ends of the flexible tubes 31 and These flexible tubes connect the Y connections of adjacent tunnels 25 as illustrated in Figure (3. The outlet of the Y connection at the left of one of the tubes 28 connects with the outlet of the Y connection at the right of the adjacent tube 28 and vice versa. in this way a flexible tube connection having a large radius is formed between the tubes 98 of the funnels 25 so that individual tunnels with their tubes 28 may be raised and lowered without kinking or breakingthe flexible connection between the tunnels.

One of the tubes 28 of one of the tunnels 25 is connected with the hollow shaft 22 and for this purpose one of the Y connections 30 at the lower end of the tube 28 is provided with a nipple to which is attached one end of the flexible tubing 3-l while its other end is fastened to the lower end of the hollow shaft lVater is admitted through the hollow shaft 22 to till all of the tunnels 25 to a predetermined level for a purpose that will presently appear.

The apples are fed into the tunnels from the hopper mounted at the side of the frame 1. A conveyor chain 36 traveling over the sprocket wheels 37 and 38 is provided at the end of the hopper. This conveyor chain carries a series of curved plates 39 at suitable intervals from each other which project from the chain so that the apples are readily picked up by them and elevated to the inclined chute -l'O. This chute directs the apples thus elevated from the hopper into the tunnels 25 and drops an apple into each of the tunnels as they pass the end of the inclined. chute. The conveyor is intcu mittently driven and tiihed so as to drop a single apple into each tunnel as it passes by the end of the chute. For this purpose the shatt ell on which the sprocket wheel 37 is carried has also keyed thereto the ratchet wheel d2. A dog; 4-3 which is pivotally mounted on the outer end oi? the walking; beam td is adapted to engage into the notches ot the rachet wheel and as the lever l-l is rocked advances the ratchet wheel stcp by step. l u this way the conveyor chain is intermittently operated so that each of the plates 39, as it is raised by the conveyor chain, drops its apple into the chute wl snever a funnel is located at the end thereof. The walking beam *kl pivoted to the connecting rod to which conncctingg rod in turn is attached to the recip rocating' carriage -l6 oi the apple paring machine. This carriage reciprocates to place an apple on the end ot each of the links l-l' 1; the machine being reciprocated by the rotary cani l? of the apple paring); machine. The walking beain l is thus rocked and the conveyor advanced one step to :li'eed an apple into the chute 40 to be dropped into one of the ii'unne s whenever an apple is taken out of one of the tunnels and torccd onto one oi. the forks ot the paring machine.

As illustrated in Figures st and 5 two stationary inclined runways or cums t8 and +119 are provided on one side of the turntable. The runway or cam d8 serves to elevate the tunnels to a preliminary pi*cdeterniiniul height prior to its being raised to force the apple contained. therein onto one ot the forks oil the paring machine. This is done by the lug: 29 which projects radially from the tunnel tube and rises up on the inclined runway as the turntable rot-ates. litter the lug has traversed over the runway 438 it moves onto the small platform provided on the reciprocating bar 51 which is located between the cams or runways l8 and 4:9. The mechanism for intermittently rotating the turntable is set and timed, so that at the end of each. movenient the lug;- 29 of one of the tunnels 25 is placed on the plattorn'i 50.

The reciprocating bar 51. with the platform 50 is then raised to raise the tunnel 25into the dotted line pUl-lijlOll illustrateil in Figure 5 forcing the apple contained therein onto one of the forks 14. For this purpose the reciprocating; rod 51 is pivotally coi'inected to the end of the bell crank 52 which in turn printed at 53 to the reciprocating carriage 4:6 ot the apple paring machine. As illustrated and lUtl described in my prior patent above referred to, the apple paring machine is provided with a tripping mechanism which operates to release the hell c an]: 52 whenever the apple, small or large, is forced onto the fork 1st to a 1. torniined depth. Each fork is provided for tends the full length of the fork in the center thereof as well as extends through the turret on which the forks are mounted. A small head 55 is formed on the upper end of the gauge pin 54. When an apple is forced onto the fork let the gauge pin 5% in the center thereof is forced up in the fork bringing; the head 55 in contact with the end of the sliding rod 56. The rod 56 provided with a pair of collars 57 and 58 between which engages the fork end 59 of the bell crank 60.

tln the upward movement of the gauge pin 54:

which in turn raises the sliding rod 56 the bell crank 60 is rocked and its free end swung against the trip lever 61 releasing the upper end of the bell crank 52 so that it can rock to the right and allow the reciprocating bar 51 to drop back until its platform 50 is below the level of the top of the stationary cams at; and d9. The tripping i'neclninism just d e scribed forms part of the invention illustrated in my prior patent above referred to, and operates to release the feed lever which forces the apple onto the fork whenever the apple has been forced onto the fork the full length of the fork, irrespective of the size of the apple. Thus an apple having a large diameter is forced onto the fork only until the fork has been completely embedded therein even if it only extends part way through the apple, while an apple of smaller diameter maybe forced onto the fork with the fork projecting through the whole of the apple before the feed lever and funnel is allowed to drop back away from the forks of the paring machine. The reciprocating bar 51 is mounted to slide in a. suitable guide 62 so that it is held in a straight line vertical. motion as it is raised and lowered by the bell crank 52.

For the purpose of returning the bell crank its normal position so that its upper end is again in engagement with trigger on the reciprocating carriage, a stop 100 mounted below the reciprocating bar 51. The end of the bar 51 strikes this stop after it has been released by the trigger and stops a further movement after it has reached a predetermined position so that on the return of the reciproeating carriage of the apple paring machine the bell crank will automatically enpage itself so that it will again move with the carriage and be held rigid with it ready to lift the next funnel and the apple contained therein.

is above described. the tunnels 25 are filled with water to a predetermined level. This level is high enough within the funnel so that when an apple located therein it is al this purpose with a gauge pin 54 which exlowed to float in the water and right itself with the blow end of the apple located at the bottom. It is in this position that the apple must be forced onto the forks of the apple paring machine. The object of floating the apples within the funnels is, therefore, to allow the apple to right itself into the proper position in which it is to be forced onto the forks of the paring machine. The absolute level of the water within the funnels remains constant but in raising the funnels the level of the water within thefunnels so lifted is lowered so that the apple after it has righted itself and isfloating properly with its blow end. at the bottom will rest in this same position on the inside walls of the funnel while the level of the water within the funnel has dropped below the point where it can float the apple. These two positions of the funnels are illustrated in section of'Flgure 5. The position of the funnel at the right of this figure is that of a funnel after it has been, moved away from the stationary cam 49 and is gradually moved towards the stationa ry cam 48 where it is again raised and moved onto the reciprocating platform 50 of there ciprocating feed bar 51. The stationary cam 49 is of the same height as that of the Sta-- tionary cam 4L8 so that when the funnel 25 is moved from the platform 50 onto the stationary cam 49 and halted in front of the inclined chute 40, it is still located at an elevation in which the water within the funnel is below a point Where an apple dropping into the funnel from the chute will not strike the water but will be held supported in the funnel above the water. In this way an apple fed from the hopper 35 and dropped into the funnel thru the chute 40 cannot splash the water within a funnel as the apple does not come in contact therewith. After the apple has been dropped into the funnel and the funnel is moved away from in front of the hopper the lug 29 rides down the incline of the cam 49 so that the water level within the funnel gradually rises until it reaches the height illustrated at the right of Figure 5 when it leaves the cam. In this position of the funnel the apple is free to float in the water within the funnel, and as above pointed out the apple when free to float in the water quickly rights itself into a position in which the blow end of the apple is located at the bottom. left free to float therein duringthe time that the funnel leaves the end of the cam 49 and reaches the beginning of the cam 48 and during all this time the apple is given its chance to float into the proper position. When the funnel reaches the cam 48 it is moved up until the water level within it again drops back allowing the apple contained within the funnel to settle down onto the inclined wall thereof so that it will rest therein in the same posit-ion in which it was floating While'the The apple within the funnel is then level of the water was in its highest position within the tunnel. The apple when resting in the tunnel above the water level is held stationary therein by the barbed ridges within the funnel and will retain its position until it is forced onto the fork of the paring machine as above described.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 two conveyors and 71 are provided near the bottom of the machine and suitable deflecting plates project towards these two conveyors so that the peelings from the apples drop down onto the conveyor 71 and are carried off to one side of the machine while the peeled apples are deflected onto the conveyor 70 and are carried oli in the opposite direction. A battery of combined apple paring and feeding machines can thus be placed side by side and the peelings of all of the machines carried oil to one side and the peeled apples of the same machines carried oil to the other side.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated a modified form of the tunnels. In this form the inside wall of the funnel is provided with three ridges spaced 120 degrees apart. Each of these ridges is provided with a series of prongs or barbs that project outwardly and slightly upwardly. Apples are not always true spheres and some of them are quite deformed. When, therefore, such an apple is allowed to settle down into the funnel it is possible that due to its deformation it will turn to one side and no longer stay in the position in which it floated. In providing the inside of the tunnels with the three ridges having barbs thereon one or more of the barbs of each oi the ridges will engage the outside of the apple and thus form a three point support therefor. Such a support will hold the apple in its proper position even it the apple is deformed.

I claim:

1. In a feeding device for an apple paring machine, the combinatirm of means for feeding the apples one at a time, a tapered receptac e into which each apple delivered, said receptacle being filled. with water suliiciently to float the apple and permit the apple to adjust itself by gravity with its stem end up and its blow end down, means for raising the receptacle and the apple contained therein without raising the water to fix the apple in that position. in said receptacle, means for then delivering thi apple with its stem end upward. to the rotating spit of the paring machine.

2. In a feeding device for an apple paring machine, the combination oli means for feeding the apples one at a time, a tapered receptacle into which each apple is delivered, said receptacle being tilled with water suiiiciently to lost the apple and permit the apple to adjust itself by gravity with its stem end up and its blow end down. means for raising said receptacle to drain oil the water and fix the position of the apple therein and then deliver the apple with its stem end up to the rotating spit of the paring machine.

3. In a feeding device for an apple paring machine, the combination of a turntable hav' ing a series of funnels set up-right thereon, means for rotating said turntable and raising and lowering each tunnel, each funnel having water therein and being connected at the bottom to a common water supply, the water being lowered in or drained from each funnel as the tunnel rises and rising again therein as the tunnel lowers.

4t. In a :leeding device. for an apple paring machine, the C(Jli'lllifitllilOH of a turntable having a series of tunnels set rip-right thereon, means for rotating said. turntable and raising and lowering each tunnel, each tunnel having water therein and being connected at the bottom to a common water sup ply, the water being lowered in or drained tron], each funnel as the tunnel rises and rising in the funnel as the tunnel lowers, means for feeding an apple to each :l'unncl and permitting the apple to heat therein and adjust itseli by gravity with its stem end up and its blow end down. means for raising the fun nel. and draining (3a the water and fixing the position of the apple therein and then delivering the apple with its stem end up to the rotating spit of a paring machine.

5. In a .litltltlll'lg apparatus for apple paring machines the con'ibination of a turntable, tunncls carried on the periphery of said turntable. a tube provided on the end oi. said tunnels, said tube being adapted to vertically slide on said turntable. a lug carried on said tube, a stationary inclined cam located out side of the periphery oi? said turntable, said lug of said tube being adapted to ride up on said inclined cam on the rotation of turntable and. raise said tube with its funnel, water carried at a predetermined level with in said funnel, the level of the water being lowered within said tunnel as the tunnel is raised on said cam.

G. The combination of an apple paring machine and apple feeding apparatus comprising vertically rotating forks, a turntable mounted adjacent to said forks, receptacles containing water carried on said turntable, means for producing alternately a high and low level of the tater within said receptacles, said receptacles being adapted to receive an apple each and hold it floating during the high level of the water within said receptacle and hold it rigid within said receptacle during the low level of the water contained in said receptacle, and means for r1 sing said receptacle with the apple held rigid therein against said vertically mounted forks of said paring machine.

7. In a feeding apparatus for apple paring machines, the combination of a turntable, a series of vertical tubes containing water ill] mounted to vertically slide on the periphery of said turntable, a funnel carried on the upper end of each of said vertical tubes, a flexible connection between said tubes to allow said tubes to be raised individually without disturbing the position of the remainder of said vertical tubes and the funnels carried thereon, a stand pipe connected to said vertical tubes to regulate the level of the water in said funnels.

8. In a feeding apparatus for apple paring machines, the combination of a turntable, brackets mounted on said turntable, a pair of arms projecting from said brackets, a tube containing water mounted to slide thru said arms, a lug carried on said tube between said arms, a funnel at the upper end of said tube above said arms, a stand pipe, a flexible conncction between the lower end of said tube and said stand-pipe, and means for raising and lowering said tube on said arms to raise and lower the level of the water within said funnel as governed by the level of the water within said stand pipe.

9. In a feeding apparatus for apple paring machines, the combination of a series of vertical tubes, a funnel provided at the upper end of each of said tubes, a flexible connection between the lower end of said tubes, means for raising and lowering said tubes, liquid contained in said funnels and their connections, the level of said liquid being raised or lowered Within an individual funnel on the raising and lowering of said funnel by means of said tube.

10. In a feeding apparatus for apple paring machines comprising a receptacle having a cone shaped bottom, said receptacle being connected at the bottom with a reservoir containing a liquid at a uniform level, means for raising and lowering said receptacle with relation to the level of the liquid within said reservoir to raise or lower the relative level of the liquid within said receptacle and either float the apple contained in the receptacle in the water when the level of the liquid is high in the receptacle or support it on its conical wall when the level of the water in the receptacle is low.

11. In an apple feeding device for apple paring machines, the combination of a re ceptacle having an open top and bottom, liquid held at a predetermined level within said receptacle, means for raising and lowering said receptacle without disturbing the level of the liquid within said receptacle to change the level of the liquid in relation with the funnel.

12. In an apple feeding device for apple paring machines, the combination of a receptacle having a large open top and a reduced small open bottom, liquid held at a predetermined level within said receptacle, an apple being adapted to be suspended in the liquid in the large open top of said receptacle, means for raising said receptacle without disturbing the level of the liquid within it to shift the level of the liquid from the large end to the small end of the receptacle and means for raising the apple with said receptacle and hold it suspended above the level of the liquid.

13. In a feeding apparatus, the combination of a container, three angular fingers grouped triangularly around a center, barbs on the face of said fingers and means for supporting said fingers.

ture.

GEORGE W. GATES.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 

